tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67190468246201275162019-05-24T23:54:40.205-05:00Mullin's WorldWelcome to Mullin's World, the unvarnished opinion of a progressive Republican. There are no sacred cows.John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.comBlogger335125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-49544721439284655902019-03-16T21:14:00.001-05:002019-03-16T21:52:09.064-05:00Trump is guilty of stochastic terrorism, The lone-wolf attack was apparently influenced by the rhetoric of stochastic terrorism.<br /><section class="css-0 e1hj943x0" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.58px;"><section class="css-0 e1rg2mtf0"><div class="css-cppco6 e1rg2mtf6" style="display: inline-block;"><h1 class="css-h0xnyi e1rg2mtf8" style="display: inline; font-size: 29px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; word-break: break-word;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />stochastic terrorism</h1></div><div class="css-1baulvz e1rg2mtf7" style="display: inline-block;"><span class="css-uis96j e1rg2mtf2" style="color: #979797; font-size: 20px; vertical-align: super;">[st<span class="italic" style="font-style: italic;">uh</span>-<span class="bold" style="font-weight: bold;">kas</span>-tik&nbsp;<span class="bold" style="font-weight: bold;">ter</span>-<span class="italic" style="font-style: italic;">uh</span>-riz-<span class="italic" style="font-style: italic;">uh</span> m]</span></div></section><hr class="css-mx0168 etjs7ll0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(151, 151, 151); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; height: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.3; overflow: visible;" /><section class="css-171jvig e1hk9ate0" style="margin: 8px 0px 17px;"><h3 class="css-14jdhzg e1hk9ate1" style="margin-bottom: -0.3em; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="css-1jyjhkb e1hk9ate2" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">noun</span></h3><div class="css-1o58fj8 e1hk9ate4" style="font-size: 15px; margin-left: 20px;"><div class="css-1i0g854 e1q3nk1v3" style="display: list-item; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;" value="1"><span class="one-click-content css-1e3ziqc e1q3nk1v4"><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="the">the&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="public">public&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="demonization">demonization&nbsp;</span>of a&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="person">person&nbsp;</span>or&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="group">group&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="resulting">resulting&nbsp;</span>in&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="the">the&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="incitement">incitement&nbsp;</span>of a&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="violent">violent&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="act">act,</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="which">which&nbsp;</span>is&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="statistically">statistically&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="probable">probable&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="but">but&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="whose">whose&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="specifics">specifics&nbsp;</span><span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="cannot">cannot&nbsp;</span>be&nbsp;<span class="one-click" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="predicted">predicted:</span></span></div><div class="css-1i0g854 e1q3nk1v3" style="display: list-item; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;" value="1"><br /></div><div class="css-1i0g854 e1q3nk1v3" style="display: list-item; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;" value="1">Trump has to know that what he says gives license to the nut case out there who will act out his violent fantasy. &nbsp;Trump refuses to condemn white supremacist who perpetuate hate crimes against the other, brown people, Jews, Muslims. &nbsp;Of course he was quick to identify Muslims in an act of terror in California. &nbsp;</div><div class="css-1i0g854 e1q3nk1v3" style="display: list-item; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;" value="1">Why won't he call them out? Because they are his supporters. &nbsp;He is the poster boy for white extremists, American Nazis and every right wing hate group out there. I wouldn't be surprised if he was made honorary grand wizard of the KKK.</div><div class="css-1i0g854 e1q3nk1v3" style="display: list-item; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;" value="1">Trump must bear responsibility for the mass killing in New Zealand, Philadelphia, Charleston church shooting and other violent acts committed by the people he incites to acts of violence, it is as if he loaded the gun and pulled the trigger himself. &nbsp;</div><div class="css-1i0g854 e1q3nk1v3" style="display: list-item; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;" value="1"><span class="one-click-content css-1e3ziqc e1q3nk1v4"><span class="luna-example italic" style="color: #979797; display: block; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></div></div></section><section class="no-collapse css-1c1604t e1eb38er0" style="margin: 20px 0px; padding-top: 15px;"><aside class="css-1rm7u2e e1bbcgok0" style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></aside></section><hr class="css-mx0168 etjs7ll0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(151, 151, 151); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; height: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.3; overflow: visible;" /><section class="css-1748arg e9x2bts0" style="margin-bottom: 24px; padding-top: 12px;"><section class="css-54ces9 e16svm7n0" style="margin: 24px 0px;"><br /></section></section><hr class="css-mx0168 etjs7ll0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(151, 151, 151); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; height: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0.3; overflow: visible;" /></section><aside class="css-19a7eo8 e1su27ci0" style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; display: inline-block; flex: 0 0 300px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.58px; margin-left: 30px; min-height: 1px; padding: 0px 15px; position: relative; width: 300px;"><aside class="css-1rm7u2e e1bbcgok0" style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></aside></aside>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-37982487238986197662019-03-15T13:26:00.000-05:002019-03-15T13:26:21.821-05:00The Madness of TrumpCicero said it best when he said,&nbsp;<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">"The wise are instructed by reason; ordinary minds by experience, the stupid&nbsp;</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">by necessity, and the brutes by instinct".</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">&nbsp; This is the era of the madness of Trump. &nbsp;Reasonable people can disagree and do so with passion, but the lies and disingenuous of the Trump administration is a disaster. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Trump's attack on the free press is destructive to American Democracy. &nbsp;While the free press can be manipulated at times and lie like Fox and&nbsp;Breitbart do, it remains the guardian of Democracy. &nbsp;It is there to shine the light of day on those wishing to hide their dirty deeds in the darkness of&nbsp;conspiracy</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">&nbsp;and special interest. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">His policies are a disaster with our allies, his support of dictators and enemies a powerful and potential threat to all Americans and the rest of the world. The sooner he is out of office the better for our country. &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">This may be the most dangerous time for America. &nbsp;Trump's America is a meaner, stupider and morally more&nbsp;corrupt America than we have seen since before the American civil war. He has given license to racism, misogyny, religious bigotry and intolerance of every kind. We need to end the madness of Trump.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br />John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-21871847790741743812016-12-20T23:14:00.000-05:002016-12-20T23:17:33.987-05:00The perfect storm is here.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"The wise are instructed by reason; ordinary minds by experience, the stupid<br />by necessity, and the brutes by instinct".</i>&nbsp; Cicero<span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , &quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , &quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt;">Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.</span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , &quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Peter Drucker<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">The perfect storm is here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Republicans now have the house, the senate, the executive and most likely the judicial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As a friend said, “we are fucked”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Of course Republicans feel vindicated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Why it happened is what most pundits are hashing out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It seems not enough blacks voted, white non college educated blue collar workers, traditionally democrat voters, voted for Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>More women shifted right than was expected the Russian’s release of emails to wiki leaks, and of course the collusion of the FBI, and of course there is more.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Why has it happened? A false perception of the truth; lies by Fox news and the great flimflam man Trump, and false innuendo of high crimes and misdemeanors by Hillary Clinton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The result is that the American people put a man into the White House that is totally unfit for the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Not only is he unfit for the job he is unqualified for the job, not in the legal sense, but in temperament, knowledge and intellect. </div><div class="MsoNormal">We will have a man in the White House that cannot speak in complex sentences that demonstrates a depth of critical and analytical thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In essence we have elected a 5 year old petulant thin skinned baby to the presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We have gone from President Obama, an intellectual and scholar to a businessman, whose questionable business practices are known to be suspect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Trump whose campaign was based on racism, bigotry, misogyny, lies and prejudice was a candidate that the voters should have repudiated but surprisingly they didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>He will not bring our country back together again, it will need a man or woman of character to do that, he has none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Those steel town jobs he is going to bring back are gone forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If those industries came back they would only bring back a tenth of those jobs as the industry has changed and become modernized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The same goes for those West Virginia coal mines.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Republicans will use him to attack and gut health care, Medicare, Social Security, Education, the Environment, the EPA and they will stop any federal minimum wage proposals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Pensions, unions, freedom of the press and freedom of speech will come under assault from the GOP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When this is over we will be a poorer country and the rich will be far richer and the poor and middle class will be far poorer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>We will end up with the financial disparity of a banana republic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our allies abroad are frightened by an unpredictable and unprincipled stupid man in the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Our enemies in Russia are gloating, they now will have their proxy in the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">What can we do? A lot of liberals are now going out and buying guns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Possibly a good idea if the economy crashes and law and order breaks down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>It is something to consider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>What we must do is be vigilant, and hold his feet to the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Write, comment, call him out on everything he does, says, or tweets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He is not popular; he did not win by a landslide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He won with a minority of the voters. Hillary won the popular vote by close to 3 million votes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When he fails to do what he said he would, and he will, and the rising tide dissatisfaction becomes apparent we can then begin to work for future without Trump and the GOP in charge, but only if we are vigilant and only if there is enough time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>We live in dangerous times.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">End Post </div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-15658542731017727652016-05-14T12:41:00.000-05:002016-05-14T12:41:01.129-05:00John Stewart on Trump the media and the GOP.<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15.84px; line-height: 22.176px;">Quote:<i>&nbsp;</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing. Edmund Burke</i></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15.84px; line-height: 22.176px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15.84px; line-height: 22.176px;">“Here is the real political incorrectness if they really want to be truthful: the problems in this country are not caused by Mexicans and Muslims. If they want to confront the problem in this country, it’s you have one party in America, whose sole purpose is to freeze the government, and to not fix any of the problems that are associated with it. They have a great game going: government sucks and can’t get the job done. And then they can sit as an impediment to that government, and point to their destruction, as evidence of their thesis. It’s a great tautology. Whatever you want to say about the Democrats, maybe they’re feckless, maybe they focus too much on identity politics, or they’re not fiscally responsible, at least they’re f***ing trying.”</span><br /><br />The whole story.<br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=http://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2016/05/12/jon-stewart-gives-his-post-retirement-take-on-the-media-trump-clinton-and-congress/%236e80051e3c29&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1463333087032000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHE2_5yucrrBNYdPqVUJMcj3SRkQQ" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2016/05/12/jon-stewart-gives-his-post-retirement-take-on-the-media-trump-clinton-and-congress/#6e80051e3c29" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">http://www.forbes.com/sites/<wbr></wbr>francesbridges/2016/05/12/jon-<wbr></wbr>stewart-gives-his-post-<wbr></wbr>retirement-take-on-the-media-<wbr></wbr>trump-clinton-and-congress/#<wbr></wbr>6e80051e3c29</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End PostJohn Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-91621087949797624102015-07-27T16:25:00.002-05:002015-07-27T16:25:16.248-05:00Salon slams the GOP <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;">Salon magazine calls out the GOP on what they really are in clear and concise terms that anyone can understand. &nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;"><a href="http://www.salon.com/">Salon Magazine</a> sums up the current GOP as follows:</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 60px;">The GOP tends to preach and practice intolerance, xenophobia, nationalism and anti-democratic values (i.e., voter suppression). In many ways, the GOP is anti-enlightenment, and embraces passion over reason. The dangerous denial of climate change and other scientific facts seems to come out of the corrupt alliance of anti-intellectual traditionalism and corporate influence (i.e., oil and gas).</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 60px;">Now, the fact of the matter is that fascism died in the mid-20th century. The GOP are obviously not fascists, but they share a family resemblance. As stated above, the base have many similar passions — traditionalism, nationalism, intolerance towards immigrants or minorities. They react with hostility towards the social progress of others and largely believe in a ‘survival of the fittest’ ideology.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 60px;">Giovanni Gentile, the “philosopher of fascism” and ghostwriter for Mussolini,&nbsp;said&nbsp;of the definition of fascism in the Encyclopedia of Italiana: “Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.” This definition may very well fit the GOP ideology: a kind of corporate fascism, where large corporations have the ultimate power; where the politicians spew a hateful, intolerant ideology based on “traditional” values, on a platform funded by corporate interests, elected by the people to serve those very corporate interests; and deny environmental degradation because it would be unprofitable for the funders to do anything about it, using the anti-intellectual hostility to convince the people that it is nothing more than a left-wing conspiracy.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;">To read the entire Salon article, click&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salon.com/2015/07/25/donald_trump_is_an_actual_fascist_what_his_surging_popularity_says_about_the_gop_base/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; box-sizing: border-box; color: #071396; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Donald Trump is an actual fascist: What his surging popularity says about the GOP base</a>.</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Droid Serif', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px;">End Post</div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-71538875673840264252015-07-10T16:17:00.001-05:002015-07-10T16:17:07.845-05:00Nick Hanauer- Inequality and Job Creators. The hypocrisy of the right. <i>Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.</i><br />Edmund Burke<br /><br /><br /><br />This is what the GOP and the top richest Americans don't want the American people to understand.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Wc9bWc-WRs" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End PostJohn Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-56753191906330750092015-05-25T15:00:00.002-05:002015-05-25T15:03:22.280-05:00 If democracy means more than occasional elections and protection of those rights that are compatible with economic and political elites' interests, Wolin's analysis of our democratic predicament is shocking...<span style="font-size: small;">Quote: </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope that we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.<br /><i>-Thomas Jefferson, 1816, quoted in Lawrence Goodwyn, The Populist Moment</i></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>&nbsp;</i></span> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Democracy Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism &nbsp;</span><br /><i><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sheldon S. Wolin, With a new preface by the author.</span></b></i><br /><br />Democracy is struggling in America--by now this statement is almost cliché. But what if the country is no longer a democracy at all? In Democracy Incorporated, Sheldon Wolin considers the unthinkable: has America unwittingly morphed into a new and strange kind of political hybrid, one where economic and state powers are conjoined and virtually unbridled? Can the nation check its descent into what the author terms "inverted totalitarianism"?<br /><br />Wolin portrays a country where citizens are politically uninterested and submissive--and where elites are eager to keep them that way. At best the nation has become a "managed democracy" where the public is shepherded, not sovereign. At worst it is a place where corporate power no longer answers to state controls. Wolin makes clear that today's America is in no way morally or politically comparable to totalitarian states like Nazi Germany, yet he warns that unchecked economic power risks verging on total power and has its own unnerving pathologies. Wolin examines the myths and mythmaking that justify today's politics, the quest for an ever-expanding economy, and the perverse attractions of an endless war on terror. He argues passionately that democracy's best hope lies in citizens themselves learning anew to exercise power at the local level.<br />Democracy Incorporated is one of the most worrying diagnoses of America's political ills to emerge in decades. It is sure to be a lightning rod for political debate for years to come.<br />In a new preface, Wolin describes how the Obama administration, despite promises of change, has left the underlying dynamics of managed democracy intact.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <i>Princeton Press.</i><br /><br />Review:<br />"[A] comprehensive diagnosis of our failings as a democratic polity by one of our most seasoned and respected political philosophers. . . . Democracy Incorporated is a devastating critique of the contemporary government of the United States--including what has happened to it in recent years and what must be done if it is not to disappear into history along with its classic totalitarian predecessors."--Chalmers Johnson, Truthdig<br /><br />"[Democracy Incorporated provides] a rare, chilling analysis of intellectual critics of democracy. If democracy means more than occasional elections and protection of those rights that are compatible with economic and political elites' interests, Wolin's analysis of our democratic predicament is shocking, solid, and fundamentally correct."--C. P. Waligorski, Choice<br /><br />"Sheldon Wolin has produced an ambitious and broad-ranging book that examines the current state of democracy in America. . . . Wolin argues that the unquestioned faith in the virtues of free market capitalism has dramatically narrowed the range of policy options that are on the table when debate turns to resolving the US's ills. . . .[T]his is a trenchant and powerful volume."--Alex Waddan, International Affairs<br />"Of the many books I've read or skimmed in the past seven years that attempted to get inside the social and political debacles of the present, none has had the chilling clarity and historical discernment of Sheldon S. Wolin's Democracy Incorporated. Building on his fifty years as a political theorist and proponent of radical democracy, Wolin here extends his concern with the extinguishing of the political and its replacement by fraudulent simulations of democratic process."--Jonathan Crary, Artforum<br /><br />"[W]e need to understand the deep roots of our present troubles ourselves and Wolin's book is an excellent beginning."--Toby Grace, Out in Jersey<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ij-Pa0pemSM" width="560"></iframe> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End Post John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-44678201563636238632015-04-18T14:37:00.003-05:002015-04-18T16:31:47.997-05:00A bankruptcy attorney's open letter to Grandville auto shop after anti-gay Facebook post<span class="bqQuoteLink" style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif !important; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 26px;"><i><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mahatmagan160709.html?src=t_intolerance" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.</a>&nbsp;</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">Mahatma Gandhi</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">Intolerance is a form of violence against others. &nbsp;It is vicious and dangerous, born of hate, ignorance, racism and&nbsp;prejudice. &nbsp;It is the product of fear and a lack of compassion for our fellow man. &nbsp;It is not a Christian ethic nor is it an American ideal. &nbsp;It is anathema to what America is about, and those who engage in it,&nbsp;regardless&nbsp;of how they cloak it, are unchristian and&nbsp;un-American. They are deserving of our scorn. &nbsp;Unfortunately this is what the GOP has given birth to and encourages.&nbsp;</span>&nbsp; <br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><em>From <a href="http://mlive.com/">Mlive.com</a>; The following is an open letter by Grand Rapids attorney Jeffrey Mapes. Mapes posted the letter on his&nbsp;<a href="http://mapesbankruptcyattorneys.com/blog/" style="color: #305cb6; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">practice's website</a>&nbsp;after news reports that a Grandville auto shop's owner wrote on the business's Facebook page that he would refuse service to openly gay customers.</em></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Dear Dieseltec:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Jeffrey Mapes, and I specialize in bankruptcy law -- helping individuals and corporations when things go wrong. I noticed your post on Facebook where you decided to alienate most of the general public by stating that you will refuse service to openly homosexual people. This is certainly an unorthodox business strategy, and perhaps it will work for you, but I get the feeling you will need a bankruptcy attorney pretty soon and I wanted to offer my services. Like you, I am white, male, Christian, a business owner, and a gun owner. Unlike you, I provide services to everyone regardless of their sexual orientation because it doesn't matter to me -- I hope this won't be a deal breaker for you.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">If that upsets you, let me tell you a little bit more about our office to try and persuade you. The first thing you will notice is how friendly and compassionate the office staff is. Despite your inane, incoherent and just plain dumb comments, we know that everyone makes mistakes and we want to help you overcome them. They will also be more than willing to help you with some basic grammar that you seem to struggle with.</div><div class="entry_widget_small entry_widget_right" id="asset-17523029" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #363636; float: right; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; width: 327px;"><span class="adv-photo-small" style="display: block; float: right; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; width: 163.5px;"><a class="full-size-popup" href="http://media.mlive.com/grpress/opinion_impact/photo/jeffrey-mapes-334x400jpg-b449781ece5e0b29.jpg" style="color: #363636; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="jeffrey-mapes-334x400.jpg" class="lazy adv-photo" src="http://media.mlive.com/grpress/opinion_impact/photo/17523029-small.jpg" data-original="http://media.mlive.com/grpress/opinion_impact/photo/17523029-small.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></a><span class="photo-data" style="display: block; font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-top: -2px; padding-top: 5px;"><span class="caption" style="clear: both; color: #666666; display: block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Jeffrey Mapes</span><span class="byline" style="color: #666666; display: block; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 7px; text-align: right; width: 98.0999984741211px;">Courtesy</span></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">If you still need more convincing, let me assure you that we will make certain that your bankruptcy petition is filed correctly and there are no errors. You stated in your post that you would incorrectly assemble a vehicle in order to prove a point. I want to let you know that despite the fact that I would love to prove a point to you about tolerance, I won't compromise my standards of quality to do so. After all, I have to look in the mirror at the end of the day and if I didn't do my best for everyone, I would have trouble sleeping. Perhaps you could give me pointers on how you sleep at night?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Just a few other housekeeping items. While I certainly don't encourage people to bring guns into my office, so long as you have the proper permit and handle it responsibly, you can bring your gun along. I would only ask that you refrain from menacingly stroking your weapon while you quietly sing David Allen Coe songs to yourself. I also think you have a deep and fundamental misunderstanding of the First Amendment and how it works, but that is a long discussion and we should save that for when we meet in person.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Well Dieseltec, I hope I've convinced you that Mapes Law Offices is the right place for you to file your bankruptcy. I would like to leave you with some words of inspiration from the dramatic film Billy Madison and I hope that you will take them to heart:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Sincerely,</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Jeffrey D. Mapes</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://mlive.com/">mlive.com</a><br /><br /><br /><br />End Post</div></div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-28856316123475795412015-04-16T09:25:00.001-05:002015-04-16T09:25:21.120-05:00Jon Stewart schools ‘young padawan’ Marco Rubio: Your ’1999′ joke was actually ‘complete rubbish’<a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/04/jon-stewart-schools-young-padawan-marco-rubio-your-1999-joke-was-actually-complete-rubbish/#.VS_GF1Zh3kg.blogger">Jon Stewart schools ‘young padawan’ Marco Rubio: Your ’1999′ joke was actually ‘complete rubbish’</a>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-25652033062704309912015-04-16T08:57:00.001-05:002015-04-16T08:57:52.811-05:00House Budget Committee Plan Cuts Pell Grants Deeply, Reducing Access to Higher Education — Center on Budget and Policy PrioritiesAnother attack on the working poor and middle class. &nbsp;PELL grants offer an opportunity for upward mobility. &nbsp;Educated Americans get better jobs, make more money, &nbsp;pay more taxes and contribute to a stronger America. Thank you GOP. You can always trust the GOP to fuck the working class, the poor and minorities; which is what these cuts will do.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view">House Budget Committee Plan Cuts Pell Grants Deeply, Reducing Access to Higher Education&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view">— Center on Budget and Policy Priorities</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End PostJohn Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-23314260397305077282015-04-08T04:59:00.001-05:002015-04-08T04:59:59.914-05:00Jon Stewart hammers defenders of Indiana’s anti-LGBT law: Don’t compare gay people to the KKK<a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/04/jon-stewart-hammers-defenders-of-indianas-anti-lgbt-law-dont-compare-gay-people-to-the-kkk/#.VST8DKZgA_w.blogger">Jon Stewart hammers defenders of Indiana’s anti-LGBT law: Don’t compare gay people to the KKK</a>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-24729220449206455332015-04-07T22:25:00.001-05:002015-04-07T22:25:16.953-05:00I know the code<i>“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.”&nbsp;</i><br /><div class="p1">-Bertrand Russell, <i>Unpopular Essays</i></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rand Paul is running for president in 2015 to take back our country.</span></span><br />Take back our country. &nbsp;I love this phrase, because I know the code. <br />It is take it back our country from the black man in the white house, actually some like the N word. &nbsp;Take it back from anyone who is GLBT or&nbsp;tolerant of other peoples views or God hating&nbsp;atheist or evil people who support pro choice and anti-Americans who want sane gun laws. &nbsp;You would have to be anti-American to want sane gun laws. &nbsp;I mean if you want sane gun laws like background checks you are anti-American. &nbsp;Forget how many crazies buy guns and open fire on innocents. &nbsp;So lets take back our country. &nbsp;Take it back to the dark ages. <br /><br />John Stewart from a few years ago. &nbsp;Nothing much has changes except some of the players.<br /><div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;"><div style="padding: 4px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:thedailyshow.com:1b345e9a-fa53-11e0-aca6-0026b9414f30" width="512"></iframe><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/">The Daily Show</a></b><br />Get More: <a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/indecision">Indecision Political Humor</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></div></div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End PostJohn Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-1311554003071756282015-04-04T08:55:00.001-05:002015-04-04T08:55:07.548-05:0035 Founding Father Quotes Conservative Christians Will Hate<a href="http://reverbpress.com/politics/founding-father-quotes-conservative-christians-will-hate/">35 Founding Father Quotes Conservative Christians Will Hate</a>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-47976707452443097112015-04-02T17:54:00.000-05:002015-04-02T17:54:09.337-05:00How dangerous a little intolerance, like a little pregnant. <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><i>Once you attempt legislation upon religious grounds, you open the way for every kind of intolerance and religious persecution.</i></span>William Butler Yeats</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Indiana just recently past the <span style="color: #222222;">“</span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Religious Freedom Reformation Act” (RFRA) bill. While the supporters of the bill, the Republican state legislator and governor, claim it is not meant to discriminate, that is surely what it does. Not only can business discriminate against LGBT individuals or groups on religious grounds they can refuse to serve people who's religious beliefs differs from theirs; such as Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Hindus, etc. They can discriminate against women and virtually anyone they deem does not meet their religious litmus test. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The conservative pundits have been running around trying to defend the indefensible and doing a bad job of it. Arkansas has just passed a similar bill in their Republican controlled legislator but the Governor has refused to sign it after seeing the firestorm that broke out over the Indiana bill, unless the wording is changed. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It seems that the Republicans really do a great job of restricting freedoms. The intent of the Federal RFRA Act was to allow minority groups the same religious freedoms enjoyed the majorities. But these state bills seemed designed to allow the majority to slam the minorities not just the LGBT community. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;">“<span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Religious Freedom Reformation Act” (RFRA) bills. That name is an Orwellian-attempt to use the same name as the federal law for a law that does pretty much the opposite of the intentions of the federal law; the federal law was meant to protect religious minorities, not give the majority a club with which to beat minorities.” <span style="color: #555555;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif, default;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sarah Jones, </span></span></span><a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2015/04/02/hey-rfra-opens-door-businesses-discrimination-womens-health.html" name="Politics USA"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Politics USA</span></a></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Under the guise of religious freedom these, primarily GOP legislators, who suck up to the evangelical right, have shown their intolerance and unchristian character. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What is wonderful is that they seem to have galvanized the American public and woken up a sleeping giant. America is a majority Democratic leaning country and acts like this only help decent Americans see the true color of the radical right. A radical right owned by the Koch bros.&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">End Post</span></span></span></div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-59932520916549139412015-03-31T17:16:00.001-05:002015-03-31T18:27:44.062-05:00I'm back, rant I must.&nbsp; “Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows Progress; having rejected all respect for antiquity, it offers no redress for the present, and makes no preparation for the future.”<br />~Benjamin Disraeli<br /><style type="text/css"> </style><br />It has been a long time since I have posted to my blog. The truth is I felt overwhelmed by politics. Seeing the daily injustices, lies and miscarriage of justice I just decided not to think of it. But it never goes away. So after a long hiatus I decided to get back to my rant. And rant I will. I can't change anything or anybody’s opinion or mind, I can only state my own frustration at the injustices of the world.<br /><style type="text/css"><!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What has struck me is that after so long a break from posting my blog nothing has changed, in fact things may have gotten worse. The Gay Old Party (GOP) and FOX Phony News are still at it. The crazies are running the asylum. So what has been happening, it is almost laughable to see what people will put up with, the list sounds crazy until you realize that it is what is really happening. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Republicans, governors, state legislators in red states, the senate, congress and the Koch brothers and friends at FOX have been relentless in their assault on American values and institutions in their attempt to transform it into their own fiefdom. They don't want a Democracy, they want an oligarchy. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The issues such as voter suppression are an attempt to restrict voters who would vote democratic, and an attack on minorities and the poor. A cut in the food stamps program which effect the poor and minorities. A cut in aid to dependent children which effect the poor and minorities. An attack on the Affordable Care Act which would effect millions of Americans. An attempt to destroy Medicare. How else to pay for the tax cuts for the rich. An attempt to dismantle Social Security which would effect millions of seniors. In Indiana passing a law that virtually legalizes discrimination based on sexual preference or status. No matter how they try to phrase it is legalizing discrimination. These are just some of the issues of the day. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">There remains issues such as climate change which the GOP says isn't happening, which I find amazingly stupid. Other concerns is the Republicans war on illegal aliens, who if they were all deported today would put America into a depression. And a seemingly insane push for war by the GOP with Iran while undermining the American president while he attempts to negotiate a treaty. The issues are many and varied and they attack what America is about. So I am back for what its worth. I will rant on. We have an up coming presidential election with a menagerie of wacko Republican hopefuls which should add some spice to the issues. The Loony Tunes are about to begin folks, so strike up the band and let the craziness begin. There is more to come.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">End Post</div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-11075795822859088242014-01-21T16:39:00.001-05:002014-01-21T16:39:46.056-05:00We Need a New 'War on Poverty' – Not a War on the Poor | Southern Poverty Law Center<a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/news/we-need-a-new-war-on-poverty-not-a-war-on-the-poor#.Ut7ouz5ZH_E.blogger">We Need a New 'War on Poverty' – Not a War on the Poor | Southern Poverty Law Center</a>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-13891012931300916912013-12-25T09:32:00.001-05:002013-12-25T09:32:43.232-05:00News Video Catches Black Santa Being Shot by pellet gun during D.C. toy giveaway<a href="http://crooksandliars.com/2013/12/news-video-catches-black-santa-being-shot#sthash.XpVxaiJt.cmfs">News Video Catches Black Santa Being Shot by pellet gun during D.C. toy giveaway</a>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-92223203870402605862013-12-24T15:52:00.000-05:002013-12-24T15:52:18.740-05:00Unemployed benefits ending, too bad, Merry Christmas from the GOP<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/E-UQ5lPflaM" width="560"></iframe>Unemployed Screwed By Politicians - The Storm Is Coming!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End PostJohn Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-61213533051399130482013-12-16T00:20:00.001-05:002013-12-16T00:20:46.683-05:00The Immoral Minority: Frank Schaeffer on the "Slow Motion Lynching of Pr...<a href="http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2013/12/frank-schaeffer-on-slow-motion-lynching.html?spref=bl">The Immoral Minority: Frank Schaeffer on the "Slow Motion Lynching of Pr...</a>: Courtesy of Why I Still Talk to Jesus in Spite of Everything : &nbsp; We’ve been watching a slow motion lynching of a moderate brilliant f...John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-76787833378842784782013-12-16T00:16:00.001-05:002013-12-16T00:16:33.841-05:00The Immoral Minority: Pope says he is not offended by being called a Mar...<a href="http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2013/12/pope-says-he-is-not-offended-by-being.html?spref=bl">The Immoral Minority: Pope says he is not offended by being called a Mar...</a>: Sticks and stones bitchez! Courtesy of CNN : &nbsp; Pope Francis responded to critics who call his stance on capitalism Marxist, saying in...John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-70938353731862446052013-12-15T00:30:00.001-05:002013-12-15T00:30:19.307-05:00The Immoral Minority: Here is Megyn Kelly last night whitewashing, if yo...<a href="http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2013/12/here-is-megyn-kelly-last-night.html?spref=bl">The Immoral Minority: Here is Megyn Kelly last night whitewashing, if yo...</a>: "In kicking off the lighthearted segment I offered a tongue in cheek message for any kids watching, saying that Santa, who I joked is...John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-48375764851472122992013-12-08T20:57:00.001-05:002013-12-09T14:51:38.605-05:00...they don't mind harming a few million children a year for profit, and they do. <i> "This report describes six mothers who received live virus vaccines and one who received a Hepatitis B vaccine during pregnancy after having received an MMR booster five months prior to conception. All the children who resulted from these pregnancies have had developmental problems, six out seven (85%) were diagnosed with autism, and the seventh seems to exhibit symptoms often associated with autistic spectrum disorders." --F. Edward Yazbak, MD </i><br /><i><br /></i><i> "Every day new parents are ringing us. They all have the same tragic story. Healthy baby, child, teenager, usually a boy, given the DPT (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) or DT (diphtheria and tetanus), MMR or MMR booster followed by a sudden fall or slow, but steady decline into autism or other spectrums disorder."--The Hope Project (Ireland) </i><br /><i><br /></i><i> "There is no evidence whatsoever of the ability of vaccines to prevent any diseases. To the contrary, there is a great wealth of evidence that they cause serious side effects." -- Dr. Viera Scheibner </i><br /><i><br /></i><i> "My data proves that the studies used to support immunisation are so flawed that it is impossible to say if immunisation provides a net benefit to anyone or to society in general. This question can only be determined by proper studies which have never been performed. The flaw of previous studies is that there was no long term follow up and chronic toxicity was not looked at. The American Society of Microbiology has promoted my research...and thus acknowledges the need for proper studies." --John B.Classen, M.D., M.B.A. </i><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ig Pharma makes BILLIONS a year from their vaccines and they don't mind harming a few million children a year for profit, and they do.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css"><!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style></div>WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT VACCINE INJURY AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST<br />By Prof. Ronald Gerwin, Ed.D CUNY<br /><br /><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION PROGRAM<br />The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program came about due to the increase in serious adverse reactions associated with the whole-cell pertussis portion of the DTP vaccine. In the 1980s, hundreds of lawsuits had been filed against vaccine manufacturers. As a result, one of the three manufacturers ceased to produce the vaccine. The other two had difficulty buying liability insurance. The manufacturers asked Congress to protect them from lawsuits for the DTP(diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), the MMR (measles, mumps, rhubella), and the Polio vaccines. Federal officials and manufacturers <b>declared</b>the vaccines safe and that deaths and injuries suffered were no fault of the vaccines.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act. It acknowledged that vaccines can harm or kill. The law created a federal compensation program. The act stipulated that: </div><ol><li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">manufacturers would be protected from lawsuits. Also protected are pediatricians and health care providers.</div></li><li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">there be a central reporting system, run by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)and CDC (Center for Disease Control),federal agencies used to monitor adverse effects.</div></li><li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">parents must get vaccine benefit and risk information from doctors before vaccination and doctors must report and record vaccine adverse events.</div></li><li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">vaccine supply and routine mass immunizations continue as required by states.</div></li><li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">there be periodic independent evaluations of scientific evidence on adverse reactions.</div></li><li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">if a child is harmed and injuries resulted in permanent damage, death, and/or medical expense in excess of $1,000; or lasting for more than six months, people have the right to seek compensation through the NCVICP. (National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program)</div></li></ol><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As of 1995, Secretary of Health &amp; Human Resources, Donna Shalala made receiving compensation much more difficult. Starting in 2000, three out of every four cases were denied compensation despite the fact that 1 billion dollars was in the trust fund. It took 9 years on average to resolve a case. </div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">RECENT AWARDS</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The compensation board, also known as “vaccine court” has made some recent awards implicating the MMR and DTaP vaccines along with others given as multiples at a single doctor’s visit. Cases fitting a pattern of vaccine-induced encephalopathy (brain inflammation and damage) related to autism spectrum disorder have been court ruled or government conceded in favor of the families affected. Huffingtonpost.com reported on two such cases of children who suffered severe and debilitating injury to the brain, described as autism spectrum disorder, resulting from the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccinations. In addition the cumulative result of vaccinations received within a two year period produced neuroimmunologically mediated dysfunctions. The defendant being the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, represented by Justice Department attorneys conceded that the MMR vaccine had caused the injuries in one of the cases. Millions of dollars were awarded for lost future earnings, pain and suffering, life care expenses, past expenses, ABA therapy (Applied Behavioral Analysis training), and to buy annuities for annual expenses through life. </div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">CONFLICT OF INTEREST</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The public is likely unaware that the FDA and the CDC have advisory committees on immunization practices that recommend which vaccines should be part of the Childhood Immunization Schedule, which is adopted by most all of the states. Some members own stock in the vaccine manufacturing pharmaceutical firms. Some members own patents for vaccines affecting their decisions. Some members serve on the advisory boards of vaccine manufacturers. These facts make it impossible to get unbiased opinions regarding the evaluations of the vaccines. A congressional investigation conducted by US Representative Dan Burton (R-IN) revealed these facts. (Dr. Cave, pp. 36-38)</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">STUDY LONG OVERDUE</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Congressional Representatives Bill Posey (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) introduced a bill known as <br />“The Vaccine Safety Study Act”. It would direct the National Institutes of Health to conduct a retrospective study of health outcomes, including autism, of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated children. It would be used to help determine whether exposure to vaccines is associated with autism, neurological , and other chronic illness.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In fact, other such studies have actually been done already. According to The Autism File on line Magazine, studies by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) obtained by SafeMinds via the Freedom of Information Act showed that high thimerosal exposures versus lower and zero exposures indicated risks of autism, ADD, sleep disorders, and speech/language delay consistently elevated in the more exposed group. Thimerosal is the mercury preservative used in some vaccines required by most states.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Further, according to Dr. Kartzinel’s book Healing and Preventing Autism, a non-profit organization-Generation Rescue funded a study that compared vaccinated boys to unvaccinated. The results included the following: “vaccinated boys were 155 percent more likely to have a neurological disorder. Vaccinated boys were 224 percent more likely to have ADHD. Vaccinated boys were 61 percent more likely to have autism.” (p. 289)</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">PERSPECTIVE ON VACCINATIONS</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Those who have brought attention to the issue of vaccine injury are not advocating avoidance of all vaccinations. They suggest vaccine schedules that could be individualized based on factors such as: premature birth, family history of autoimmune disorders, negative reactions to vaccinations already administered, thimerosal (mercury) and aluminum content as preservatives, advisability of multiple vaccinations at once and multiple vaccinations over a short period of time, the questionable need for some vaccinations such as Hep B, and other reasons. Dr. Cave and Dr. Kartzinel, in their books, present recommended vaccine schedules.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">REFERENCES</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">AutismFile.com2013.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Cave, Stephanie M.D., <u>What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’ Vaccinations</u>, Revised and Updated 2010, Wellness Central, pp. 346.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Kirby, David: Vaccine Court Awards Millions to Two Children With Autism, huffingtonpost.com, posted 1/14/13, 9:43 AM.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">McCarthy, Jenny and Kartzinel, Jerry M.D., <u>Healing and Preventing Autism</u>, A PlumeBook, 2009, pp. 402.</div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">End Post</div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-56771274409491039582013-11-20T21:52:00.002-05:002013-12-08T20:39:32.606-05:00 millions of Americans who have nothing to fall back on except Social Security<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"Just this morning, the Washington <i>Post </i>ran an editorial mocking the idea of a looming retirement crisis. To make sure no one missed the point, they even put the words 'retirement crisis' in quotation marks. No retirement crisis? Tell that to the millions of Americans who are facing retirement without a pension. Tell that to the millions of Americans who have nothing to fall back on except Social Security ... Make no mistake: This is a crisis." <i>Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts</i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It seems the more things change the more they stay the same. The Republicans have a new national strategy since the Obama landslide win. They have begun gerrymandering districts to win house seats. They are making it more difficult for people to vote. They are demanding identification to vote, never mind that the incidents of voter fraud virtually didn't exist and the few cases that were alleged, were perpetrated by republicans. They, the GOP, realize that when more people vote they lose. They have implemented a strategy of fewer voter machines in minority districts, shorter hours, less days to vote which are all designed to keep the democrat vote down. They want to turn the clock back to the bad old days when the vote was limited to the few. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">They are also against immigration reform, gay and lesbian rights, abortion, a raise of the minimum wage, health care reform, and they want to cut social security and medicare. All the time continuing to benefit the rich and powerful, and their corporate clients and those at the top of the food chain. Who do these policies hurt? It hurts, seniors, the poor, minorities, immigrants, women, gay and lesbians the middle class and the working poor. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The GOP has no moral compass, they see the poor and minorities as disposable.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">End Post </div>John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-58618398992878448542013-10-02T22:14:00.000-05:002013-10-02T22:19:23.000-05:00Fools"Criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press. Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it is treated as such by the media, elected officials and the public."&nbsp; ~David Brock <br /><br /><div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; left: -99999px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span class="bqQuoteLink"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/davidbrock438680.html" title="view quote">Criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press. Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it is treated as such by the media, elected officials and the public.</a></span><br /><span class="bodybold"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/david_brock.html" title="view author">David Brock</a></span><br />Read more at <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fox_news.html#MZdo0z6oozajKZQh.99">http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fox_news.html#MZdo0z6oozajKZQh.99</a></div><div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; left: -99999px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span class="bqQuoteLink"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/davidbrock438680.html" title="view quote">Criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press. Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it is treated as such by the media, elected officials and the public.</a></span><br /><span class="bodybold"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/david_brock.html" title="view author">David Brock</a></span><br />Read more at <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fox_news.html#MZdo0z6oozajKZQh.99">http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fox_news.html#MZdo0z6oozajKZQh.99</a></div><div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; left: -99999px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span class="bqQuoteLink"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/davidbrock438680.html" title="view quote">Criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press. Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it is treated as such by the media, elected officials and the public.</a></span><br /><span class="bodybold"><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/david_brock.html" title="view author">David Brock</a></span><br />Read more at <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fox_news.html#MZdo0z6oozajKZQh.99">http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fox_news.html#MZdo0z6oozajKZQh.</a></div><br />This says it all. The GOP and FOX, <i>make believe news</i>, must hate this guy. John Stewart has his pulse on what is happening and calls it like it is. Dirt bags are dirt bags and hypocrites are hypocrites. The GOP and their mouth organ FOX are just hyping big business and preaching to fools. Fools who vote against their self interest. Wake up stupid! <br /><div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;"><div style="padding: 4px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:429428" width="512"></iframe><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-1-2013/march-of-dumbs">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a></b><br />Get More: <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></div></div></div><div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;"><div style="padding: 4px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:429429" width="512"></iframe><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-1-2013/march-of-dumbs---government-shutdown">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a></b><br />Get More: <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></div></div></div><div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;"><div style="padding: 4px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:cms:video:thedailyshow.com:429430" width="512"></iframe><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-1-2013/obamacare-begins">The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</a></b><br />Get More: <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a></div></div></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">And this is the family values party. What a joke.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End Post John Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6719046824620127516.post-2087741829726847072013-10-01T20:45:00.001-05:002013-10-01T20:52:21.947-05:00GOP the party of irresponsibility <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself.”&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">―&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/203941.Harry_S_Truman" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Harry S. Truman</a><br /><br />The GOP is not a responsible party, they are the party of irresponsibility.&nbsp;The GOP dirt bags in congress don't seem to know who won the last presidential election. President Obama was elected and supports the affordable care act. Because the GOP can't stop a law that aims to help all Americans get affordable health care they have shut down the government of the United States of America. &nbsp;Not responsible governing, but then no one ever said that the GOP knew how to govern. &nbsp;They still get the best health care that the government can supply, but they want to deny it to the American people. They also get paid while the government is shut down. As of today there are millions of Americans applying for heath care at the exchanges, 7.5 million Americans have responded today, the first day to sign up for health care. Maybe what the republicans fear is that Obama Care will be successful and the GOP will look like the fools they truly are. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />End PostJohn Mullinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799819280884192809noreply@blogger.com0